Reduction of metallic oxids



CHARLES MORRIS JOHNSON, 0F AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA REDUCTION OF METALLIC OXIDS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES MORRIS JOHNSON, residing at Avalon, in'the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvanla, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in r the Reduction of Metallic Oxids, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In a now pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 344,329, filed December 12, 1919, I have described and claimed a method of reducing oxids of iron, and particularly high-speed scale, and producing again, in uninterrupted operation, alloy steel. The method so particularly appliedis capable of Wider application, and in thisapplication I shall describe and claim it in such wider service.

.The essence of the invention, as it is described in the application referred to, lies in compounding in the furnace charge, with the scale to be reduced, both ferro-silicon and ferro -chromium, and in proceeding with the reducing operation upon the charge so compounded. The invention more broadly viewed consists in compounding with a metallic oxid, not necessarily an oxid of iron, the same ferro-silicon and ferro-chromlum ingred ents and proceeding withthe reducing operation on the charge so compounded; For example, uranium oxid, U 0 may advantageously be reduced by my method, and indeed my initial discovery in the premises consisted in the re duction of uranium-oxid. As in the case of high-speed scale, the uranium oxid is mixed in finely divided form with both ferro-silicon and ferro-chromium, also in finely divided form, and the mixture is introduced into a furnace, conveniently an electric furnace, wherein temperature is increased to the degree requisite to bring about reaction.

By pursuing this method I have found that a yield of more than 90% of the uranium contained in the ore may be recovered, whereas by pursuing the usual course, in which ferro-silicon alone is used as thereagent, rarely more than 70% is recovered. In my already pending application to which I have referred and in which the reduction of an iron oxid is described. carbon is an essential ingredient of the furnace charge, and the proper control of the carbon component of the product is a matter Specification of Letters Patent.

the ch The actual yield of this formula,

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed June 9, 1920. Serial No. 387,692.

very carefully explained It will be understood that this matter of the control of the carbon component relates itself to the uses intended for the finished product, the alloy steel. And it will be understood that where, as in the case of uranium oxid, the product desired is metallic uranium, whose chief. commercial value is not as a material out of which to form utensils and articles generally, but as a material for further use as an lngredient in metallurgical operations, this matter of the careful control of a non-metallic component of theproduct becomes, ordinarily at least, a matter of no moment. Carbon is, of course, a reducing agent, as are also silicon and chromium and, to the extent that it is present, carbontends to diminish the amount needed of ferrosilicon and'ferro-chromium to effect the end in view. This statement is not, however, to be misunderstood. In orderto getth'e re-- sults, both ferro-silicon and ferro-chromium must be present. N 0 amount of carbon can take wholly their place to effect the'ends 1n view.

The proportioning of the components of arge is a matter of experimental determination. I have, in the application referred to, given the figures for a properly proportioned charge, where the raw material to be acted on is high-speed scalel An approved formula in that case is, high sp'eed scale, 300 pounds; ferro-silicon, 27 pounds; ferro-chromium, 20 pounds. And in giving this formula I have been careful to explain that latitude ispermissible, and the formula need not be slavishl-y followed. p

In the case'of uranium oxid,a proper formula for a furnace. charge is this: 22 pounds uranium oxid of 88.5% purity; 17.6 pounds of ferro-silicon of 50% silicon; 10 pounds, ferro-chromium of 54.5 chromium. according to my operations was 42 pounds, of which the metallic uranium component amounted to 38.23%, and this, compared with the. amount of the charge shows a yield of 97.5%. Again it should be said these figures are exemplary and need not be slavishly adhered to. It is the joint presence of ferro silicon and ferro-chromium which is important, and variation in proportions is permissible. The formula given will be found to afford notable results. 7 p As in the treatment of iron oxid, so inithe treatment of the oxids of other metals, if

ion

be desired to produce an alloy of the metal I contained in the initial oxid with another metal, that other metal in desired quantity may be added either to the initial furnace charge or at a later moment in the course 7 of operation, either in metallic state (simple or a Inthe application referred to metallic addiloyed) or in the form of reducible oxid.

tions are described, the metal of such additions being both tungsten and molybdenum.

These metals are as there described introduced in metallic form and in powdered condition, and the introduction is efi'ected in part in the initial charge and in part in the furnace after the essential reaction has taken .place and before pouring. It will sutfice to mention these matters; the furnace man-will understand the operation.

I have mentioned uranium oxid and by allusion to the companion application, 1ron oxid; o'xids of zirconium, chromium, tantalum, vanadium, tungsten, or molybdenum maybe similarly reduced, or, indeed, other metallic oxids; and any desired mixture of any two or more of these oxids named and suggested may be subjected to the same method to attain the desired metallic product.

I claim as my invention:

1. The herein described method of reducing a metallic oxid which consists in smelting it in the presence of both, ferro-silicon and ferro-chromium.

2. The herein described method of producing a metallic alloy which consists in smelting the oxids of the component metals in the presence of both ferro-silicon and ferro-chromiu'm.

3. The herein described method of reducing an oxid of a non-:ferrous metal which consists in mixing it with both ferrosilicon and ferro-chromium and in smelting the mixture.

4. The herein described method of producing a metallic alloy which consists in smelting theoxid of one of the component metals in the presence of both ferro-silicon and ferro-chromiuiii, and introducing a quantity of another metal to the furnace charge.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES MORRIS JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

BAYARD H. CHRIs'rY, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON. 

